Underdog Writing discussion

For those who don't know about CreateSpace, there is a great avenue to have an actual physical book made. The setup is easy and free. You really only have to pay for one thing, the proof (and shipping). It came to like $3. Now people without access to ebooks can go and order my book.

Here's the life lesson I learned with that. On the page that says 'recommended settings' for what size you should format it. DO NOT listen to them. 6 X 9 is humungous for a short story collection. It's too big for most books unless your doing something with pictures in it. Go with with lowest setting 5.06 x 7.81. It's still larger then a trade paperback, but not too much. It's about the size you see books that are between hardcover and paperback to give you an idea.

Also through there website, they have options where you can have professional editors go through your work and they also do press releases. Of course it comes at a price, but definitely something I'm going to use for the next work.

I've heard a lot of people say they're very happy with it. I just don't have the urge to paper publish. My target market is online and have been reading on a screen for a couple decades. A lot of them had Rocket readers in 1998.

I've thought about it, but would want any work submitted to be professionally edited and the editing cost is quite high. Still, I keep it in mind.

I've ordered my second set of proofs from CreateSpace after some minor adjustments to the cover because I wasn't completely certain how thick the finished book would be. The original setup cost me a whopping $39 for their Pro Plan since I did the layout and cover myself (no you don't have to pay a fee to do that work yourself.)

Even with shipping cost per copy for 10 is way less than cost per copy getting 100 printed locally, I can link to my sales page on their website from mine and I don't have to stuff envelopes =)

Most of the people I know don't have ereaders and it's a great alternative for me to keep my print costs down for sales I make myself or for placement in local bookstores and gives me the estore option for anyone else who wants a print copy.

I have ordered several proofs after several revisions. The book looks very good, however... the cover. The cover curls naturally. I opened the book once and you would think it was handled for days in a clearance bin.

Have any of you had this curling problem? I wrote to CreatSpaace and they sent me a free book but didn't explain the problem.

I have dozens of paperbacks that I have bought over the years and they look like paperbacks; a little worn. But my book looks very used.

Mine turned out fine. What sizes did you use?

It's 5.25 by 8 inches.

Louie wrote: "It's 5.25 by 8 inches."

That's the way to go. I generated a couple shorts awhile back, did 6x9 for all of them, and they were way too thin!

Ya. Way too thin. My margins were off too. On the plus side,It will make a collector item someday.